


Ghost

by littlemarvelfics



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Domestic Violence, F/M, Marvel Universe, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-10-29 20:45:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17815223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemarvelfics/pseuds/littlemarvelfics
Summary: Everyone has ghosts from their past, but will yours ruin your present?You and Steve Rogers are neighbors but some things from your dark past always stop you from flirting with him. What happens when you finally decide to give him a chance?Warnings for the series: descriptions of abuse





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Oh hello! It’s been a while! I’ve been working on this series for about a month and it’s finally finished. Everything is written so I’m planning on posting a chapter a week (probably on Saturdays). Let me know what you think of this first chapter!

Steve let out a sigh as he unlocked the door to his Brooklyn apartment. Walking in, he dropped his key in the bowl by the door and propped his shield up against the wall before wandering into the kitchen to retrieve a beer. Popping the top and leaning back against the counter, he took a long sip and thought about the tasks tomorrow held. Between paperwork for this latest mission and training for the next, he would Likely be at the compound all day. Tony had asked him to move out there but Steve wasn’t ready to give up on Brooklyn yet. It wasn't the same city he grew up in anymore but there were times that it still felt like home.

Steve walked over to his balcony door and cracked it open slightly to try and let some fresh air into the apartment. He moved to the couch and plopped down, beer still in hand. He made a move for the remote to flip channels for a bit before heading to bed when he heard music coming from the apartment next to his. He’d heard music coming from her place before, she also seemed to leave her balcony door open on warm nights, but this was the first time he had recognized the [ **song**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tffsmz7n20). Steve had passed Y/N in the hall a few times but had never really spoken to her. They exchanged hellos and comments about the weather but nothing more.

Steve listened intently and heard you humming along to the song and move towards your balcony. Steve’s heart just about stopped when he heard you quietly singing along to the lyrics of the song. You were barely singing above a whisper but Steve was still drawn to you. He pushed himself off the couch and moved towards the balcony. He peeked outside and saw you, messy hair piled on top of your head in a baggy shirt with a glass bottle in your hand, watering the plants you had set up outside.

Unable to stop himself, Steve walked out onto his balcony to greet you. Your back was turned and you didn’t notice him until you spun around to water the plants behind you.

“Holy shit!” You yelped, nearly dropping the bottle in your hand.

“Sorry!” Steve said with a chuckle, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You just startled me, Captain,” you glanced inside to where your laptop was still playing music. “Oh god, how much of that did you hear?”

“Steve,” he corrected. “And enough to know you have a lovely voice.”

You let out a laugh.

“Well thank you, Steve, I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”

“No! Not at all. I actually really like that song.”

You smiled at him as you cocked your head to the side.

“Yeah, it's a good one.”

“I’ve actually heard some of your music before. It’s nice, soothing.”

“I’ve been trying to find my inner zen or some garbage lately. I guess the music helps but yeah, soothing is what I was going for,” you said brightly.

Steve took a deep breath before asking you his question.

“Maybe you could make some recommendations or something sometime if you’re not too busy.”

Steve cringed at how desperate he sounded but truthfully, he was desperate to know you, he had been for weeks but he never knew how to start a conversation with you. When you saw each other in the hall in front of your apartments, it always seemed one of you was coming or going but know it seemed like he may have found a connection with you, though he feared he had already ruined it.

But to his surprise, your smile grew.

“I’ll do you one better, I can make you a mix CD! If you have a CD player that is. I know they’re gone the way of the dinosaurs but I very much miss the art of giving someone a mix CD,” you rambled.

Steve chuckled at your enthusiasm.

“Yeah doll, I’ve got a CD player,” he said, letting the pet name slip. But yet again, you seemed to think nothing of it.

“Great! I should probably get back inside but I’ll talk to you soon?”

“Of course, have a good nigh Y/N.”

“You too Steve.”

 

  


 

As you ducked into your apartment, you couldn't help but feel slightly giddy. You had always had a crush on Steve Rogers but you never thought he would be interested in you, a struggling photographer with a day job as a waitress. Maybe he was just being friendly but you couldn’t help but hope for more. The gray mass of sass and fur you called Winston weaved his way through your legs, prompting you to pick him up and carry him over to the couch. You grabbed your laptop and waited for Winston to get situated beside you before you delved into your music library, searching for songs that would make the perfect mix for Steve. As you compiled your list, you couldn't help the nagging voice in the back of your head telling you this was a bad idea. You knew he would find out and he wouldn’t be happy. But it was a risk you were willing to take.

 

  


 

A few days later as you were leaving your apartment, you ran into Steve who was coming home. After greeting each other you asked him to wait while you ran inside to grab something. When you emerged, you were carrying a CD case with a hand-drawn cover.

“Here,” you said, handing the CD over. “I have to head to work right now but my number is on the inside of the case if you wanna text me. If you do that kind of thing.”

Steve took the CD from you and laughed.

“I can text you and I’d love to. Thanks for this.”

You gave him a smile and turned to run down the stairs, hoping you wouldn’t be too late.

Steve watched you walk away until you were out of sight, then he turned his attention to the CD in his hand. You had clearly put thought and time into the artwork on the front. It was a pen sketch of a person but instead of a head, wildflowers were bursting from their neck. You had taken the time to color your drawing in as well. Written in sharpie at the bottom in neat, lowercase writing was ‘ **[a mix for sgr](https://open.spotify.com/user/rachelelizabethgibson/playlist/0YHfEJYHvtZzTcitTjfD0R?si=hDjQb3ZfS9Si07Kzq0S6xg)** ’. Steve opened the case and true to your word, you had written a little note on the inside.

‘Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.’

Enjoy! Xo, Y/N

Your phone number was clearly printed next to your name.

Steve walked into the apartment and immediately dug out his laptop, putting the CD into the slot. It automatically started the first song, quiet and acoustic. Steve liked it immediately.

Steve sat and listened to the entire mix, not doing anything else except soaking in the songs. When the final song ended, Steve texted you.

 **Steve** : I just finished, loved the whole thing. Thank you

 **Steve** : This is Steve Rogers by the way.

He didn't have to wait long for your reply.

 **Y/N** : I figured as much, I don't make mixes for just anyone! I’m glad you liked it though, did you have any favorites?

Steve consulted the track list before answering.

 **Steve** : I liked Heartbeats a lot, The Funeral was really good too. You made it hard to pick a favorite.

 **Y/N** : That's what I like to hear, means I did a good job ;) but those are two of my favorites as well!

Steve and you texted back and forth for a while before you said you needed to get back to work, Steve agreed telling you he should head to bed but he would talk to you soon. That night, Steve played your mix as he fell asleep that night, smiling and thinking of you.


	2. Chapter Two

The next few times Steve saw you in the hall, the two of you would chat about music or sometimes books or movies. You continued to recommend music to Steve and in turn, he suggested a few songs he thought you might enjoy. There were times when Steve considered asking you out but he always thought better of it. Every once in a while, you would brush him off with a tight smile and jog down the stairs away from him before he could get a word out. But most times, you stopped to chat with him and a few times Steve could have sworn you were flirting with him too. He got close to asking you out once or twice but he always talked himself out of it at the last moment and the last time this had happened, he thought he saw disappointment flash in your eyes before you covered it up with a smile but he quickly convinced himself he was just seeing what he wanted to. **  
**

Steve was sitting in the gym of the Avengers compound, thinking about ways to ask you out when something hit him in the back, causing him to turn around and pick it up. He raised his eyebrows at Sam who was smirking nearby.

“A shoe? Why would you throw a shoe at me?”

“Because I’ve been calling you for a few minutes and you’ve been ignoring me. What’s on your mind Cap?” Sam asked, retrieving his shoe.

“Nothing,” Steve answered quickly. 

“No, it’s not nothing,” Bucky said, inserting himself into the discussion. “The last time I saw you daydream this much…”  he paused and his face broke into a grin. “There’s a girl.”

“No there isn’t,” Steve defended, his cheeks turning red.

“Bullshit,” Sam countered. “Tell us what’s going on or we’ll never leave you alone about her.”

Steve paused and looked at the two men who were watching him expectantly. They both had more experience in this area, maybe the could help. He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“It’s my neighbor, Y/N. We started talking a few weeks ago but she’s so on and off.”

“How do you mean?” Buck asked.

“Well sometimes, I’ll flirt with her, she flirts back and really seems to like me. But other times she just blows me off.”

“That seems like a conversation for a first date,” Sam said with a smirk.

“Sam…”

“No hear me out,” Sam interrupted. “The absolute worst thing that happens is she says no and you go back to just being just neighbors. And yeah that would suck but at least you would have an answer. If she says yes, you chalk the blowing you off up to a bad day.”

Steve looked to Bucky, assuming he would disagree.

“For once, I agree with bird brain.”

“Can it tin man,” Sam replied.

Ignoring him, Bucky continued.

“I say ask her. I also say let’s go grab some lunch, I’m starving.”

  


You leaned against the counter at the diner you worked in. The place had been empty for at least an hour and you were out of things to do. Silverware was rolled, menus straightened and booths were cleaned. You briefly considered texting Steve but thought better if it. You had let yourself entertain the idea of a date with him but quickly let it go. Between your past always coming back to haunt you and the fact that Steve Rogers was probably the most handsome man you had ever seen. You were sure he was just being nice- he wouldn’t want to date you.

The bell above the door jingled and you turned around quickly, eager to greet paying customers. Your smile dropped slightly when you saw it who was. Steve walked in followed by two men you recognized from the news, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. Steve met your eye and looked just as surprised as you felt.

“Y/N? You work here?”

“I certainly do,” you replied. “Anywhere the three of you want to sit is fine.”

As you gathered silverware and poured out some waters, you glanced over to the table the three men were sat at. There really wasn’t any harm in being nice to Steve. For all you knew, he was just being friendly and wanted nothing more than to be a good neighbor.

You walked over to the table and all conversation stopped when you approached. Steve gave you a small smile while Sam and Bucky looked like they were trying to hold in their laughter. You set down the water glasses before asking if they wanted other drinks. They asked for some sodas and as you turned to retrieve them, you heard their hushed conversation start up again.

Leaving their drinks on the table, you turned to give them time to look over the menu but Same stopped you.

“So Y/N, we hear you make a killer mix CD.”

Suddenly Sam winced as the table bumped. You looked at Steve who was shooting a glare at Sam.

“Eh, according to some people,” you replied, smiling at Steve who blushed.

You and Sam chatted about music for a bit before Bucky interrupted.

“I know the two of you are bonding but I might actually turn to dust if I don’t eat soon. Same, shut up. Y/N, may I order?”

You laughed as you pulled out your notepad and gestured for him to go ahead. The three of them placed their order and you headed back to give it to the cook. Your coworker, Doris, knocked her hip into yours.

“You like one of those boys,” she said with a smirk.

“What?” you questioned, feeling your cheeks heat up. “No, I don’t.”

“Yeah, you do. I’d bet on the blonde.”

“Shush before they hear you.”

“So you do like him,” she said with a laugh.

“Yes, but it’s complicated.”

“Why’s that sweetheart?”

“I don’t even know if he likes me or if he’s just trying to be a good neighbor. Plus look at him and look at me! He’s a literal superhero. I’m just a waitress with a terribly complicated past that seems to always catch up to me.”

“Well here’s the way I see it. He likes you and from the way those boys are looking at you, I’d say he’s told them about you. Which means he’s probably seeking advice on how to ask a pretty young thing like you out. As for your past, you said it yourself. He’s a superhero. He fights aliens or whatever. I’m sure he can handle something as simple as your past. We all have one sweetheart.”

You let out a sigh and shrugged one shoulder. Doris gave you a gentle pat on the back before returning to work. You were always grateful for Doris. When you showed up looking for a job she convinced the manager to take you on. From there, she took you under her wing, never prying too much into your past but always lending an ear when you needed someone to talk to.

While you were lost in thought, your food for the three men came up. You stacked all the plates and walked them over to the table, setting them down before checking if they needed anything else. After they told you they were all set, you turned to walk away but this time, Bucky stopped you.

“Hey Y/N, think you can take a break and sit with us?”

You paused, at a loss for words but as always, Doris had your back.

“She’s fine! She’s got plenty of time for sittin’.”

You smiled quickly at Doris before sliding into the booth next to Steve. Any worry you had about the situation being awkward fell away quickly. The boys kept you included in the conversation and before long you were laughing and stealing a few fries from Steve’s plate now and again. It felt natural, sitting with Steve, his arm along the back of the booth, laughing with his friends. You could picture doing something like this as his girlfriend, the thought made you turn and smile at Steve, a gesture which he easily returned. Maybe he was interested in you. Doris was right, everyone had a past and just because yours was slightly more complicated than most didn’t mean you shouldn’t have a chance at being happy. And you could see yourself being incredibly happy with Steve Rogers.

  


Outside of the diner, a man in a black hoodie was sat in his car, staring at Y/N and Steve. He wasn’t a stranger to this diner, he stopped by two or three times a week to check on Y/N, though she never saw him. He made sure of it. He clenched his jaw when he saw Y/N throw her head back laughing at something Steve had said.

“Steve fucking Rogers,” he said to himself. “The bitch leaves me and finds fucking Captain America?”

“Not a chance,” he continued as he started his car and drove away. “She’s not getting away with this. I’ll get her back one way or another.”


	3. Chapter Three

Steve sat in his apartment reading a book and listening to the latest mix you had sent him when suddenly, he was submerged in darkness. He immediately jumped up, moving towards his shield that he had left propped up on the wall in the hallway. Picking it up quickly, he walked over to the window overlooking the city- everything in the immediate area was dark. A quick call to Tony eased his worries, it was just a typical blackout. Steve relaxed and let the tension leave his shoulders until he heard a noise come from your apartment. 

 

“Shit, fuck, damn,” you cursed, clearly frustrated. 

 

Steve walked over to the door, grabbing his keys and dropping his shield before making his way to your apartment to check and make sure you were okay. He knocked on your door and a few moments later, your door swung open. You looked up at Steve, confused. 

 

“Steve? What’s up?” 

 

“I heard you a few minutes ago and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

 

“Oh, thanks,” you said with a smile. “I’m all good, I just tripped over some books.” 

 

“Okay, well you know where to find me if you need anything,” he responded. 

 

He turned to walk away but stopped when he heard you call his name.

 

“Hey, Steve? If you don’t have any big blackout plans, do you wanna maybe hang out for a bit?” 

 

“That would be great,” he said with a smile. 

 

“Is my place okay? I don’t wanna leave my cat alone.” 

 

“Of course,” he said, moving back towards your door as you moved aside to let him in. 

 

Steve looked around as he walked into your apartment. Your living room had mismatched furniture that looked like it was probably from a second-hand shop. The space felt homey, with throw blankets and pillows scarred around. Books were scattered around, some on shelves and some in piles on the floor. What really caught his attention was one of your walls. It was painted a deep navy blue and had picture frames and shelves scattered around it. The shelves held vintage cameras and a notebook or two. The picture frames held a variety of different things. Some had hand drawn pictures, others had pictures of nature and there were a few from concerts. Steve finally turned his attention to you. Your hair was piled messily on top of your head, your face free of makeup. You were wearing a simple outfit, shorts that looked like they were for sleeping, a teeshirt and a plaid button down. Fuzzy socks covered your feet. 

 

“Sorry for the mess, I wasn’t expecting company or a blackout.” 

 

Steve was about to answer when he was interrupted by a large mass of fur, weaving his way between his legs purring loudly. 

 

“And that’s Winston. He clearly has no manners,” you said with a chuckle. 

 

Steve laughed and crouched down to scratch Winston on the head.

“Do you want something to drink?” you asked. 

 

“Nah, I’m good.” 

 

“Okay, make yourself at home. I’m gonna grab some more candles from my bedroom.” 

 

Steve watched as you walked down the hall towards your bedroom and then wandered into your living room. He took a closer look at the navy wall that contained multiple photos. He recognized a few of the landmarks in some of the pictures, local places around Brooklyn. All of the pictures were newer, except for one. It was an older picture, a little girl and a boy who looked a bit older. Steve could tell you were the girl in the picture, the boy looked like was probably your older brother. You were both smiling wild, arms slung around each other. 

 

He turned around when he heard you set candles down on the coffee table. Steve pointed to the picture he had just been admiring. 

 

“Is that your brother?” he asked. 

 

“Yes,” you answered shortly. 

 

“Do you see him often?” 

 

“No,” you hesitated, “He died a while back.” 

 

“Oh, Y/N I’m so sorry,” Steve started but you cut him off quickly. 

 

“It’s okay Steve, really.” 

 

You quickly moved onto lighter subjects before you circled back around to more substantial topics. You and Steve were sat on the couch facing each other. 

 

“My ma had just died. My dad had been gone for a few years at that point. Bucky was there the whole time. When I found out she was sick all the way to the funeral. Bucky’s house was so different from mine. I was an only child and Bucky had three younger siblings. His house was always loud and I loved it. His ma didn’t care that she already had four kids running around, I was welcome anytime. Anyway, after my mom’s funeral, he walked me back to my apartment, it was empty. And honestly, I was dreading it. But I was this tiny kid who always had something to prove and I just wanted to prove it to Bucky that I could get by own. And he wasn’t having it. He knew I could get by on my own but he told me I didn’t have to,” he finished before turning the questioning onto you. “What about you? Your parents?” 

 

“Well, I grew up out in the country. My dad was a doctor and my mom stayed at home with my brother. When I was ten and my brother was sixteen, he died. He overdosed. I never really understood why he started doing drugs, I guess I still don’t. But after that, it was bad in my house. It didn’t take long for my mom to walk out on us. She just vanished one day, she didn’t leave me a note or anything. It only took a few months for my dad to start dating the woman that would become my stepmom, she was a doctor at the same hospital. She didn’t really like me all too much,” you said with a humorless laugh. “They wanted me to be a doctor and I wanted anything but that. So I applied to art schools and I got in, that’s actually why I moved to the city. They were both pissed. My dad sat me down before I left and said if I decided to go to that school, I wouldn’t be welcome back in their home. I thought they were full of shit so, at the end of my freshman year, I went back home. I knocked on the door and my dad took one look at me, said I wasn’t welcome in his home and he slammed the door in my face. I call on holidays so they know that I’m alive, but they probably wouldn’t care one way or another.” 

 

Steve leaned forward to wipe away a few tears you hadn’t realized had fallen. Steve leaned in and paused right before his lips met yours, silently asking for permission. The slight nod you gave him was the only answer he needed before pressing his lips to yours. 


	4. Chapter Four

You leaned into Steve and savored the feeling of his lips against yours. His lips were soft and gentle against yours, moving against yours at a slow pace. You both shifted, allowing Steve to lean overtop of you slightly. Wrapping your arms around his shoulders, you pulled him closer deepening the kiss until an unwelcome face popped into your head. His threats clouded your thoughts until you were turning away from Steve and pushing him away from you.

“I’m sorry, you should go,” you muttered, not looking him in the eye.

“What? Are you okay?” Steve asked.

“I’m fine Steve, but you should go.”

You stood up from the couch and Steve followed closely.

“Wait, can we just slow down for a minute and talk? Did I do something wrong? If I did, I really am-”

“Steve!” you yelled, cutting him off. “Just go.”

Steve sighed, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “If you want to talk or anything, you know where to find me.”

Steve walked out and you closed the door behind him before turning around and sliding down it and sitting on the floor. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. You had tried dating before but his threats lingered in your mind, causing you to push guys of them away. None of them had as been as understanding as Steve though. Most of them yelled, called you a tease and stormed out. Steve seemed genuinely concerned for you. After what felt like hours, you pulled yourself off the floor and slid into bed.

Next door, Steve was doing the same. He laid awake in his bed, replaying the night’s events in his head. Steve had been so happy that you had invited him into your apartment and he was mentally kicking himself for ruining it. The way you talked about your brother and parents made his heart ache. It killed him that you had lost so much. He didn’t go over to your apartment with the intent to kiss you but he couldn’t help himself, he just wanted to ease your pain in any way he could. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment you had changed your mind about the kiss but he hoped he could fix whatever he had done to upset you.

Over the next few weeks, you started avoiding Steve. Ducking quickly into your apartment if you heard his voice and checking the hallway before you left to see if he was out there. You hadn’t quite found the words to explain your past just yet but you couldn’t just pretend that nothing had happened.

You were about to leave your apartment when you hear Steve’s voice coming up the stairs.

“I dunno Buck. She just pushed me out of her place and now she’s avoiding me. And I would get it if she didn’t want to date me. This life is a lot to handle, I wouldn’t blame her for a second. But I miss talking to her.”

Bucky’s reply was muffled and you heard Steve’s door open and close. You sighed. You missed talking to him too. You made a quick decision, that night you would talk to Steve and come clean about everything. You just hoped he wouldn’t think less of you.

Work seemed to drag on that night. You spent your time in between tables planning what to say to Steve. Doris noticed you staring into space and she stood next to you.

“What’s going on your mind girly? You’ve been distracted all day.”

“I just… I haven’t spoken to Steve in a while and I miss him. So I’m gonna try and track him down tonight.”

“Why have you been avoiding him?” she questioned.

“Why do you assume I’m avoiding him? He could be avoiding me ya know,” you pointed out.

“Sweetie, I saw the way that boy looked at you. He wouldn’t avoid you even if you had the plague.”

You smiled at her, holding your hands up in defeat.

“We were hanging out the night of the blackout and he kissed me and it was so perfect,” you paused, letting out a sigh.

“And then?” Doris prompted.

“And then I freaked out and pushed him away and made him leave.”

“Oh honey,” she said sympathetically. “I’m sure he’d understand-”

You cut her off quickly.

“That’s the thing though, in order to explain my freakout I’d have to explain some other things and I worry that he might see me differently than he does now,” you rambled.

“Let me ask you this. Can it get worse than not talking to him at all?”

“I guess not,” you conceded.

“Then talk to him. Explain everything, he might be more understanding than you think.”

Doris gave you a smile and a pat on the back before wandering away to one of her tables.

She was right. It couldn’t get much worse than avoiding him completely.

You paced around your apartment, waiting to hear Steve’s door open. You still didn’t have a solid plan of what to say to him, figuring it was best to just go for it. You heard heavy footsteps in the hall and then the sound of Steve’s door opening and closing again. Taking one more deep breath, you marched over to Steve’s and knocked on the door.

The door whipped open and revealed and understandably confused Steve.

“Y/N? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” you said quickly. “I just wanted to talk to you. Can I come in?”

“Of course,” he said, moving aside to let you in.

He guided you into his apartment, the layout was the same as yours though Steve’s place was much tidier than yours. He gestured for you to sit on the couch and then he sat next to you. You let out a sigh before pulling your legs up to sit cross-legged facing him.

“I want to explain what happened the other night.”

“No you don’t have to explain anything,” Steve said quickly.

“I want to, it’s just hard for me.”

“That’s okay,” Steve said, resting his hand on your knee. “Take your time.”

“So you know about my parents.”

Steve nodded.

“For so long, I let that define me. My own parents didn’t want me around so why would anyone else? When I was in school, I was so concentrated on doing well in my classes, I didn’t really have time to date ya know? But a little bit after I graduated, I met someone through some friends. His name was Will and he seemed perfect. Smart, funny, handsome. So we started dating but then things started changing.”

Steve could tell where this was going from the tears in your eyes.

“It started small you know? I would tell him I had plans with friends and he would say that he would rather spend time with me. So I did. My friends starting drifting away but I didn’t care. I had Will.”

You paused for a moment to collect your thoughts.

“Then it got worse. Telling me no and yelling if I questioned him, And then he started hitting me if I did something he didn’t like. And then he was hitting me for no reason at all. At first, he would apologize the next morning, tell me he loved me and that he didn’t mean it, he just lost his head for a bit but that stopped too.”

Steve scootched closed to you on the couch, taking one of your hands and squeezing.

“And I wanted to leave, I really did. But I just kept thinking, he says he loves me and he does this. What’s he gonna do when he hates me? Plus, he’s a cop. So I never really felt like I could report him. The guys I would fill out a report with were the same ones that came over for Sunday football. It’s not like they would believe me or do anything if they did.”

“How did it finally end?” Steve asked quietly.

“He beat me so bad one night I passed out. But I guess the neighbors heard us yelling and called 911. I woke up in the hospital. He pulled some strings and got the charges dropped. He didn’t spend a single second in jail after he beat me so badly that I was in a coma for two days. One night a few weeks after that, when he was out with his friends, I packed a bag and left. I just hoped he wouldn’t follow me.”

“Did he?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him around or anything but he’s called me a few times.”

You focused your gaze on your hand that was being held by Steve, he squeezed gently when he realized there was more you wanted to say.

“The reason I’m telling you all this is I like you, Steve. I like you a lot. But Will is still in the back of my mind. He used to tell me that if I left him for someone else, he would kill the guy I was with and honestly, I believe him. You put your life in danger every day and I don’t want to add to that.”

“I like you too Y/N. And I want to be with you. I’m not scared of some pathetic asshole who hits women to feel better about himself. I want to help you get back to living a full life without looking over your shoulder constantly.”

You had spent the majority of the conversation avoiding Steve’s eye. You were afraid of how he would look at you, disgust for staying with him or worse than that, pity. But when you finally met his gaze, all you saw was genuine concern and care for you. You lifted your hand and lightly ran your fingers over his jaw.

“It’s not gonna be easy,” you whispered.

“Easy is overrated. I care about you so much already Y/N. I want to be there for you in any way that I can,” he said with a smile. “Does this mean I could possibly take you out on a date?”

“I would love that,” you replied with a grin.

Steve took your hand and placed a gentle kiss on your knuckles.

“I’m gonna protect you Y/N. I promise.”


	5. Chapter Five

You and Steve made plans for later in the week for an actual date. When that night finally arrived, you were a nervous wreck. You checked your final outfit in the mirror one last time, a maroon plaid shirt dress paired with black tights, your booties were already by the door. You ran your fingers through your hair yet again, a nervous habit you had been doing all night. Just as you checked the clock again, you heard a knock at the door. **  
**

You quickly walked across your apartment and swung open the door. You took in Steve’s appearance. He was wearing a brown leather jacket with a tight blue button-down paired with black dress pants. He was smiling at you while holding a bouquet of flowers.

“These are for you,” he said, thrusting the flowers forward. “I don’t know if guys still do this kind of thing but-”

“I love them,” you said, cutting him off. “Do you want to come in for a second while I put them in some water?”

Steve nodded and walked inside as you moved into the kitchen to put them in water. He watched as you finished some last minute things, patting Winston on the head as you walked back towards the front door. You slipped into your shoes and gestured to the door.

“Ready?” you asked as you grabbed your purse.

“Whenever you are,” he answered with a smile. “There’s a really great Italian place not far from here if you don’t mind walking?”

“That sounds lovely.”

You and Steve started walking through Brooklyn, conversing easily as you went. As you talked to Steve, you could already see yourself falling for him. He wasn’t like anyone else you had ever gone on a first date with. There weren’t any awkward silences, he was either saying something or asking you questions about yourself with genuine curiosity. Any silence that settled over the two of you was comfortable.

When the two of you got to the restaurant, Steve gave his name to the hostess who shamelessly flirted with him on the way to the table. Your mind briefly flitted to Will and how he would flirt with other girls in front of you, knowing you would never confront him. But unlike Will, Steve ignored the girl as he pulled out a chair at the table and gestured for you to sit.

You both looked over the menu and ordered when the waiter came over. You continued your conversations from earlier until Steve cleared his throat.

“If I ask you a question, will you be offended?”

“That depends entirely on the question,” you said with a laugh. “But hit me with it.”

“You said you went to school in the city, why are you waitressing?”

You looked down at the table and ran your fingers through your hair, gathering your thoughts before answering.

“Well, I went to art school. And I had a job as a photographer for a while and I absolutely loved it. I got to capture moments for a living and see literal snapshots of other people’s lives,” you smiled at the memory. “But then I met Will and he wasn’t happy with my career choice. To be honest, I don’t think he would have liked anything I did- he wanted me dependent on him for everything. He convinced me I wasn’t worth it, that I wasn’t that good anyway so I should just let it go. And I did.”

Steve reached across the table and took your hand in his and rubbed his thumb over your knuckles soothingly.

“Have you ever thought about getting back into it?”

“Yeah, it just always seemed like there was something else that was more important.”

“More important than being happy with your job?”

“Well when you put it like that,” you chuckled. “What about you? Was being Captain America your dream job?”

Steve laughed.

“I don’t know. I think I made a choice in 1943 and I wasn’t exactly sure how it would pan out. I don’t think I could have ever predicted all of this thought.”

“So right now, if you could, would you drop the shield so to speak? Get a regular job and just be a guy that lives in Brooklyn?”

“I would love to be able to say yes but I don’t think so. It’s not exactly a low-stress job but if I gave it all up, aliens would still attack and someone would try and overthrow our government and bad things would still happen. I couldn’t just stand by and watch all of that happen when I am who I am.”

“Why’d you do it in the first place? Sign up for the experiments I mean.”

“I guess I just saw every man I knew going off and laying their lives on the line. My dad did it too and I figured just because I was on the smaller side and I couldn’t breathe right, I didn’t have any reason not to fight too.”

“I think having asthma and whatever else was on your list was a reason not to go off to war,” you said with a smirk.”

“Ya know, there were a few army docs who agreed with you,” he replied with a chuckle.

The rest of dinner continued, both of you passing stories back and forth about your childhoods and anything else you could think of. When you were both finished eating, Steve paid the check despite your objections. The two of you walked out the door od the restaurant and Steve pulled you aside.

“I’m not ready to go home yet.”

“Well what did you have in mind?” you questioned.

“Maybe a walk in the park?”

“That sounds perfect,” you answered with a smile. “Lead the way.”

Steve headed in the direction of Prospect Park when he noticed the goosebumps forming on your arms.

“Cold?” he asked.

“A little, but I’m fine,” you assured him. “No, no. Hold on,” Steve said as he stopped walking and shrugged off his jacket.

He held it up for you to slide your arms into. You started to object but Steve just shook his head and wiggled the jacket a little. You slipped your arms into the jacket and mumbled a quiet “thank you”.

You continued walking along, Steve occasionally bumping his hip against yours, making jokes and observations about the people around you. As you entered the park, Steve slipped his hand into yours and looked at you, silently asking if it was okay. You gently squeezed his hand and smiled at him, tucking yourself into his side.

You continued walking through the park, Steve keeping you close the entire time. Steve told you about how Brooklyn had changed and you told Steve how different the city was from the small town where you grew up.

Suddenly, Steve stopped walking.

“Is everything okay?” you asked confused.

“Yeah… I just really want to kiss you right now.”

“Then kiss me,” you whispered.

Steve smiled and put his hand on the side of your neck, rubbing his thumb along your jaw. You looked into his eyes and saw the flecks of green in the blue of his eyes. Steve leaned in slowly and gently placed a kiss on your lips. When you didn’t pull away, he kissed you again, this time more firmly. You brought your hand up to rest on his chest and the other one to the back of his neck. You pushed yourself up to deepen the kiss and Steve wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him. Only when your lungs were burning from a lack of air did you pull away, Steve giving you a kiss in the tip of your nose as he loosened his grip on your waist.

“To be continued,” he said with a smile.

Steve picked up your hand and the two of you continued on your way. As you rested your head on Steve’s shoulder as you walked, you couldn’t help the feeling of overwhelming safely that washed over you when you were with Steve.

Will watched at Y/N and Steve left the restaurant and walked in the opposite direction of their apartments. He clenched his jaw as he saw Steve put his jacket on her. He covertly followed the pair as they walked through the streets. Will continued to follow them into the park and watched as Steve Rogers kissed the girl that belonged to him. It took everything in Will not to haul off and hit the man. But that would disrupt his plan.

“Stick to the plan,” Will mumbled to himself as Y/N and Steve continued their walk. “It won’t be long,” he continued to himself. “Won’t be long ‘till she’s back where she belongs, with me.”


	6. Chapter Six

You and Steve spent most of your free time together over the next few weeks. You went out on coffee or dinner dates and walks through the city. Steve would visit you at work, sitting alone in a booth for the majority of your shift. The two of you would spend nights on your couch, Winston tucked on your laps, watching movies or TV shows that Steve had wanted to catch up on.

That was the position you found yourself in tonight. You were sitting on your couch, snuggled under a blanket with your head resting against Steve’s shoulder while he scratched Winston who was sleeping in his lap. Breakfast at Tiffany’s played in the background as Steve cleared his throat.

“So, I have a mission to go on tomorrow. I have to leave in the morning.”

You straightened up and faced Steve.

“What? Where? Why are you going?”

Steve leaned forward and kissed your forehead.

“It’s better if you don’t know any of that.”

“But you’ll be okay, right? How dangerous is it?” You could feel the panic starting to bubble in your chest, and it seemed Steve could sense it too. He turned to face you completely, Winston jumping off his lap in the process.

“Hey, hey,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down your arms. “It’s gonna be okay; it always is.”

You sighed but nodded in agreement.

“I promise,” he reiterated. “I’m coming back to you. I can’t leave my girl behind for too long now can I?”

“‘My girl’?” you questioned with a quirked eyebrow. “Awful presumptuous of you Rogers.”

Steve’s cheeks started turning pink, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah, I guess I haven’t really asked you yet. And I know dating is probably different now and we haven’ know each other--”

“Are you asking me to go steady Steve?” you asked, cutting off his rambling.

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“One condition,” you said, wrapping your arms around his neck and situating yourself in his lap.

“Anything,” he answered quickly.

“Promise me you’ll be careful. I’ve heard stories involving you and jumping from planes without a parachute.”

“Promise,” he said with a chuckle.

 

  


 

 

The next morning, Steve untangled himself from you and got out of your bed while you shifted around to get comfortable in his absence. Steve looked down at you and smiled, knowing he was falling in love with you. You snuggled closer into the pillow he had been using, inhaling deeply. Steve couldn’t help but admire you, messy hair and makeup-free face, still soundly asleep. He knew it was fast to call it love, but he couldn’t deny that’s what it was. Steve knew you were always worried about your past; he had woken you up from a nightmare on more than one occasion. But looking at you now, you looked so peaceful. He didn’t want to wake you, but he knew you would want to say goodbye before he headed off for his mission. He crouched down by the side of the bed and ran his thumb over your cheekbone. You instantly nuzzled into his hand, bringing a smile to Steve’s face.

“Baby? Wake up Y/N.”

You let out a groan.

“Nu-uh. Too early. Come back to bed.”

“I can’t sweetheart. I gotta head to the compound.”

With that, you opened your eyes and sighed.

“How long will you be gone?”

“No longer than a week.”

You got out of bed and walked him to your door when you realized you were still wearing Steve’s teeshirt that he had worn under his sweater.

“Oh shoot, lemme change out of this.”

“Nah, keep it,” he said, taking your hand to stop you from leaving. “It looks better on you anyway.”

You looked down at your feet and felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Steve out a finger under your chin and lifted your head until you met his eyes.

“Take care of yourself while I’m gone beautiful.”

“You too,” you sighed, wrapping your arms around Steve and pulling him down for a kiss.

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

And with that, he was gone.

 

  


 

 

The week seemed to drag on, especially since you hadn’t been able to talk to Steve since he left. You went through the motions and wondered how the super soldier had so easily found a place in your heart. Ever since Will, you had been guarded, not letting anyone in until you were sure they wouldn’t hurt you like that. Whenever your mind wandered, it wandered to Steve. To his laugh, his snores, the way he held you at night and the way his shampoo smelled.

One night while you were walking around your apartment dressed in Steve’s shirt and a pair of PJ pants with your hair in a loose braid over your shoulder, you heard a knock at the door. You dumped some food out for Winston and walked over to the door, looking out the peephole. Seeing it was Steve, you eagerly opened the door, but your face dropped, and you let out a gasp when you saw all of him. His hair was dirty and disheveled; there were cuts in his uniform and blood smeared everywhere.

When Steve finally looked up to meet your eyes, you winced. There was a black eye forming and a cut on his forehead. His usually bright eyes looked dull and wet with unshed tears.

“Steve…” you said at a loss for words.

“Hi,” he said with a hoarse voice. “I’m uh… I’m back from the mission. And to be honest, I didn’t want to be at the compound, and I didn’t want to be alone either. I just wanted you.”

“Okay,” you said, gesturing for him to come in. You opened your arms to hug him after closing the door, and that’s when the dam broke. Steve practically fell int your arms, burying his face into your neck.

“Steve, honey, I need you to sit on the couch for me,” you said, pulling him along with you.

Steve sat on the couch and pulled you into his lap, holding you firmly until his breathing started to even out. You leaned back to look Steve in the eye, running your thumb along his cheekbone.

“Steve, why don’t you go take a shower, and I’ll get you some fresh clothes from your place and make you a cup of tea or something?”

Steve nodded silently before digging around for his key, dropping it into your waiting hand. You slid off his lap, and he slowly rose from the couch, making his way to your bathroom. You quickly filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove before going over to Steve’s apartment. You grabbed some clean clothes for him and then went back to your place, sticking your arm into the bathroom to drop the clothes off.

The kettle started whistling soon after you dropped off his clothes and you poured a cup of tea for yourself and Steve, bringing them into the living room and setting them on your coffee table before getting settled on the couch, waiting for Steve to join you. A few moments later, he did plopping down beside you, leaving a gap between the two of you, so you weren’t touching. You reached out and put your hand on his knee, trying to comfort him. He flinched at your touch and pulled about quickly. You furrowed your brow in confusion.

“Steve--”

“I’ve never done this before,” he whispered, cutting you off.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, when I was growing up, I was taught not to do this. Not to be weak in front of your girl.” He turned to face you. “I’m supposed to be strong for you, Y/N. I promised I would be strong for you,” he finished with a sigh.   
You grabbed both of his hands in yours.

“Steve, I never want you to feel that way okay? If we’re doing this relationship thing, it needs to be an equal partnership. We support each other. Sometimes I need you to carry me through the day. And sometimes you need to be carried. That’s how it goes Steve. I care about you so much, and I want to help you.”

Steve nodded but stayed silent, avoiding your gaze.

“You know, before my mom left, she would do this thing when I had a bad day. She’d let me lay my head in her lap, and I’d stay there until things were a little better. I know a failed math test can’t compare to whatever happened on that mission but would you like to try it?”

Steve hesitated before slightly nodding. The two of you shifted yourselves until Steve had his head in your lap, facing away from you as you ran your fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp lightly. You started absentmindedly humming a song until eventually, Steve took a breath and started talking.

“The mission was going okay; we were getting it done. Then on the last day, we were walking to an area we thought was abandoned. Bucky was on the comms in the middle of cracking a joke about how eager I was to get back to you when some kind of bomb went off right next to him. I didn’t even think, I just ran. And for a minute, I swear to God I thought I lost him again.”

You were at a loss for words, so you just kept running your fingers through his hair.

“He’s fine now, just a concussion and some cuts and bruises. But for a second when he was laying there, I was back in 1945 watching my best friend die and I just… couldn’t do that again. But I held it together. Right then Bucky needed a Captain, not a best friend. So I got him back to the jet where Banner could check him out. He said he would be fine and we made it back to the compound with no issues and they got him all fixed up. I was standing there staring at him, and everything just felt too cold. But you, Y/N, you’re warm. You’re so warm, and I needed to see you.”

“It’s okay Steve; you’re always welcome here.”

Steve kissed your knee and then turned, so he was on his back, looking up at you.

“I think you might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he whispered earnestly.

“You know I was recently thinking the same thing about you.”

Steve smiled up at you, and the two of you continued talking until he finally fell asleep. You kept running your fingers through his hair, admiring the handsome face in front of you finally relaxing now that he was asleep. As you sat there for a while longer, you couldn’t help but let your mind wander to when you had tried to comfort Will for the first time.

 

  


 

 

_You walked into Will’s apartment, kicking off your heels as you went. You had just been to the funeral where they buried Will’s mother._

_You had tried getting Will to talk to you, but nothing seemed to work, so you left it alone-- until he starting drinking. His back was to you as he stood at the bar cart, pouring the dark liquid into a glass with ice._

_“Will? Maybe you shouldn’t be drinking right now; you haven’t had anything to eat yet today.”_

_“Don’t fucking tell me what to do,” he hissed._

_“Will,” you sighed, placing your hand on his shoulder._

_Suddenly, he whipped around to face you._

_“I said ‘Don’t fucking tell me what to do’!”, he roared, smacking you across the face, the sound being drowned out by the crash of the bar cart falling into the ground._

_“Now look what you made me do, you stupid bitch!” he said, hitting you once again. This time you fell to the ground, the force of his slap knocking the wind out of you._

_“Clean it up,” he said, downing his drink in one swallow. “I’m going to lay down.”_

 

  


 

 

You blinked away the tears that usually came with memories of Will. Looking down at Steve, you thought of the similarities between the two men. Both handsome, strong men who vowed to protect people but that’s where their likeness stopped. Somehow, you already knew that Steve would never raise his voice to you, much less hurt you in any way. The realization brought you a sense of calm and relief you had only ever felt with Steve.

 

  


 

 

Will watched the pair on Y/N’s couch from the comfort of his own living room. It had been almost a week since he had broken into Y/N’s apartment and installed the covert surveillance cameras to keep an eye on her. He watched at Y/N ran her fingers through Steve’s hair. Weak. That was all Steve was. A weak excuse of a man. Showing up at Y/N’s door crying? Pathetic. Y/N needed someone to take care of her, give her a purpose, tell her what she needed. She had never been able to figure it out on her own. That’s where Will came in. He knew they belonged together and for the most part, her behavior hadn’t required much correcting, but now she was in for it. How dare she think she could just up and leave him? After all he had done for her? That dumb little bitch. But it wouldn’t be much longer until Will got her back, the cameras were the last step. Now that he knew he routine, it would be even easier to take her back and make her understand just how good he was for her. It would only be a few more days.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me and my slow posting! I hope you're still enjoying the story!

Walking down the street, you felt your phone start to vibrate in your bag. You stood off to the side, digging your phone out and smiling when you saw the caller ID.

“Hey handsome,” you greeted.   
“Hey beautiful,” Steve responded. “Can I interest my best girl in a cup of coffee?”   
“Course you can!”   
“Great, where are you right now?”   
You glanced around, looking for the answer to Steve’s question.   
“I’m at like 7th and Flatbush.”   
“Alright, you wanna head over to [Hungry Ghost](https://www.hungryghostcoffee.com/), and I’ll meet you there?”   
“Perfect! See you soon.

You walked into the shop and found a table for you and Steve before settling in to wait for him. You were by the window, so you decided to people watch until Steve arrived. Watching couples young and old, parents with kids and owners trying to wrangle their dogs, you saw a face you recognized. Will. You did a double take, but you had lost him in the crowd. There was no way it could be him you reasoned. You hadn’t heard from him in a long time; you were safe. Suddenly, you felt a hand on your shoulder. Jumping and yelping at the contact, you whipped around to face the person. Steve was standing with his hands up in surrender, and you breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Hey doll, you okay?” Steve questioned.   
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I guess I was just in my own head.”   
“Alright if you’re sure, can I grab you something?” he asked, gesturing towards the counter.   
You rattled off your order, and Steve turned to the counter to pick it up. You decided not to bring up your mysterious sighting of Will. It was probably all in your head anyway.

Your drinks and pastries were long gone, but you and Steve were still sat at the table talking about everything and nothing when he suddenly seemed to get nervous.

“So I uh, have something to ask you,” he began.   
“Ask away,”   
“Tony is having this thing. This gala or whatever. I don’t really like going to them, but Tony says it’s good for all of to dress up once in a while and I guess he’s right. But would you maybe want to come with me?”   
You reached across the table and put your hand in his.   
“I’d love to Steve. When is it?”   
“Two weeks from now. But only if you’re sure, I don’t want you to go if you’re not gonna enjoy yourself.”   
“How could I not enjoy myself when I’m Captain America’s girl? That’s gotta come with some perks. Like kisses and perhaps an open bar.”   
“It certainly does come with both,” Steve chuckled.

You continued chatting about the event, you pestering Steve with questions about who would be there and what you should wear.   
“Alright, alright. What would you say about taking this party over to [Unnameable Books](https://reluctantbookworm.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/unnameable.jpg?w=736&h=1308)?”   
“Yes, yes, yes!” you answered excitedly.

The two of you walked the short distance to the bookshop hand in hand in comfortable silence, leaning into Steve now and then, kissing his shoulder through his jacket.

Coming to this bookshop had become somewhat of a routine for the two of you, so when you entered, you split up. Steve headed towards the biography section, looking for books about remarkable people he had missed out on while you walked over to the general fiction section. You lazily ran your fingers along the spines of the novels, inhaling the scent of musty books as you searched for something that would catch your eye. You and Steve browsed for a while before deciding to call it a quits. Before you could stop him, Steve grabbed your books out of your hands and placed them on the counter to purchase them for you. You knocked your side against his.

“You didn’t have to do that ya know? I can fund my own reading habit.”  
“I know I don’t have to, but I gotta take care of my girl,” Steve said with a lazy smile.

You felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment, so you ducked your head and mumbled a ‘thank you’ as Steve picked up the bag of books. Steve took your hand in his as he pulled you out of the bookstore and onto the street, guiding you towards your apartment complex.

“Think I could convince you to invite me over for a sleepover?” Steve asked when you were in front of your building.   
“I think it’s very likely that I was gonna ask you that exact same thing,” you said before kissing his cheek.

Just then his phone rang. Steve dug it out of his pocket and rolled his eyes when he looked at the caller ID. He answered, but the conversation was over quickly.

“That was Stark. Emergency meeting at the compound so I think I’ll have to take a rain check on that sleepover,” he said, clearly disappointed.   
“No worries, just be safe yeah?”   
“Yeah.”   
Steve leaned down to kiss you, and you hooked your arm around his neck and pulled him closer. Steve pulled back and left a kiss on the tip of your nose before handing you your purchases and heading off towards the parking garage.

You walked into your apartment and tossed your keys on the table by the door and dropped your bag on the ground next to the door. Bending down, you gave Winston a pat on the head and then continued your way through the apartment. Opening your fridge, you pulled out the orange juice you had been drinking earlier and finished it off, chucking the container in your recycle bin when you finished. As you ran through your mental checklist, you started to feel a bit dizzy. You braced yourself on the counter and tried to take deep breaths, but it felt like there wasn’t nearly enough air getting into your lungs. You attempted to move back across your apartment towards your bag which held your cell phone, but another wave of dizziness hit you before you could take your first step. You heard Winston meowing, but it felt like he was miles away from you. Looking up from the counter, you tried to focus on where he was, but it seemed impossible, your vision blurring at the edges. You tried once again to get to your phone, but as soon as you let go of the counter, you fell to the ground, hitting your head on the edge as you went down. Keeping your eyes open felt more and more difficult with every second that went by. You saw black boots taking heavy steps towards you and suddenly felt your hair being pulled back, forcing your head up where you met a familiar face.

“You shouldn’t have left me Y/N,” Will hissed.

You tried to respond, but the darkness overtook you.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are superheated now! We’re in the final chapters! I hope y’all are still enjoying it!

You slowly blinked open your eyes, taking deep breaths as you felt the heaviness start to leave your body. You tried bringing your hand up to push the hair out of your eyes but found yourself unable to move. You yanked hard and realized your arms were tied behind you. You tried kicking your leg out and discovered your legs tied to a chair. You let your head fall back, trying to calm yourself and will yourself to remember what happened. You made it into your apartment, right? Yes, you were sure of it. You fell which would explain the blood on the side of your face. Will. You saw his face right before you blacked out. You looked around trying to determine where you were. There was little light coming from the windows; they were covered in paper. Trash was scattered about the floor, and there seemed to be no other furniture except the chair you were tied to. Yelling seemed like your best chance.

“HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME. ANYONE! CAN ANYMORE HEAR ME?!”

“Good God, shut your mouth Y/N.”

You tried looking around and didn’t see anyone, but you recognized the voice instantly.

“Will? What the hell are you doing?”

Will walked to stand in front of you before answering.

“You wouldn’t listen to me. I had no other choice.”

“What are you talking about?”

He crouched down in front of you and put a hand on your knee before inching it up and rubbing up and down on your thigh.

“We both made mistakes! But you just up and left before we could talk about them.”

“Mistakes?! Is that what you call beating me for a year?”

“Hey, I’m trying here Y/N. And I’d appreciate if you didn’t take that tone with me.

“You have me tied to a chair in god knows where and you’re concerned about my tone? Fuck you, Will.”

“See that was always your problem, Y/N! You didn’t have any respect for the man who gave you everything,” he said, still rubbing your thigh.

“Gave?! You TOOK everything from me! My friends, my dreams, all of it Will!” you yelled as tears filled your eyes.

“You were nothing when I met you, no family, shitty friends and dreams that we both know you would never accomplish! You didn’t have a purpose; I gave you that! You were gonna be my wife! You were gonna be the mother to my children Y/N! But you left me. And for what? A shitty apartment in Brooklyn and I guy that doesn’t give a shit about you.”

“You are absolutely delusional,” you said with a scoff. “And you’re wrong about Steve. He cares about me more than you ever did.”   
“Okay, then where is he? One of Earth’s mightiest heroes? Where the fuck is he then?”

  


 

Steve walked up to his apartment building with a smile on his face. The meeting hadn’t taken as long as he had thought. You might still be up, and he could probably talk you into a movie and late night dessert. He would settle for just having you asleep in his arms again.

He quickly jogged up the stairs to their apartments. He went to his door, planning to change into sweats before going to yours when he noticed the apartment door slightly ajar. You were smart, you never left the door unlocked much less ajar if nothing else you were concerned about Winston getting out. Steve walked over to your door and pushed it open a little more calling your name as he moved into the apartment. He noticed your keys on the table and your purse on the ground. He called your name again as he walked into the kitchen. He was turning to go check your bedroom when he spotted something on the ground. Blood. He grabbed his phone and dialed Tony as he checked your bedroom. As he prayed for Tony to answer, he checked your bag and found your phone and wallet.

“Cap? What’s up?” Tony said when he answered the phone.

“Tony. Something is wrong. Y/N is missing.”

“Woah, woah. Slow down there, Steve. Didn’t you just leave her?”

“Yeah and now she’s gone, Tony! I need you to look into someone for me, I think I know who has her.”

“Has her? Steve, you’re probably overreacting. She probably just went out! You didn’t tell her you would be back tonight,” he responded.

“Tony! Listen to me! She doesn’t have her phone, wallet or keys on her and her door was open. She didn’t leave this apartment willingly, and I know it! Just run the name, William Edwards.”

“Steve-”

“C’mon Tony! He’s a cop, and he’s a bad guy. He used to beat her. There’s a feeling in my gut that something is wrong. Please just run the damn name,” Steve said, cutting Tony off.

“Okay, okay. One condition, you come back to the compound. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“Fine, I’m on my way.”

Steve sighed as he left your apartment, closing the door entirely behind him. He had promised to protect you and right now he had a horrible feeling he had failed.

  


 

Will had been rambling at you for what felt like hours. You knew your best bet was to keep him talking, but you couldn’t take it anymore.

“I don’t love you! I was afraid of you. That’s not the same,” you yelled, cutting him off midsentence.

“I loved you with everything I had,” he mumbled.

“Do you remember when you broke my ribs? Or the countless times you gave me a black eye? Maybe you remember the time you broke my fucking jam? Remember that Will? I do. I remember having to get my jaw wired shut. I remember not having to come up with an excuse because by that point you had forced me to push all my friends away. You don’t do that to people you love!”

Will got up from sitting on the floor, and before you could blink, he smacked you across the face, your head whipping to the side from the impact. You yelled out as pain erupted through your skull.

“I did those things because you refused to learn your damn place! You were always mouthing off. Complaining. Embarrassing me in front of my friends. But I wanted us to work, so I tried to help you.”

“Help me?! You never helped me! You hurt me. Constantly,” you hissed.

“Goddamn it! I love you Y/N! Don’t you see that?!”

“I don’t love you! I love…”

“Who? Who do you love? That asshole Captain America? You really think he’s gonna put up with you?”

Will reached into the waistband of his jeans and pulled out a gun.

“Will? Will, what are you doing?” you asked quietly.

“Maybe I should just save us all the trouble. I tried to help you, I really did. But sometimes you can’t help the people you love.”

Will raised the gun and released the safety, putting his finger on the trigger.

“Will, you don’t have to do this. We can work this out. We can talk, maybe you’re right. Maybe I did need your help. Please Will just put the gun down and we can figure this all out. I’ll move back with you. Please,” you rambled.

“This is for the best Y/N,” he said, ignoring your pleas. “I was your last chance. And you threw it away.”


	9. Chapter Nine

Steve sat at the kitchen table in the Avengers compound staring blankly into a cup of coffee that turned cold long ago.

“Steve? You listening to me pal?”

Steve jerked his head up and met Bucky’s concerned look.

“What? Sorry. I guess I missed what you were saying.”

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately Steve.”

Steve gave a noncommittal grunt in response, prompting a sigh from Bucky.

“You gotta try to move on. She’s been gone for two months now,” Bucky said sympathetically.

“No. No, I promised to protect her. I protected her! That’s what I do. I saved her. I saved her Buck!” Steve replied, becoming more and more frantic with each word.

“Steve! You gotta stop this! It’s not healthy.”

“No! Bucky we got there in time! We got to her in time!” Steve yelled hysterically.

“She’s dead Steve! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. But you know this. We didn’t find her in time. She’s gone, Steve. You have to try to work through it.”

Steve woke up with a gasp, looking around quickly trying to asses his surroundings. The hospital. He was in your hospital room. The room where he spent every possible moment since you had been shot two weeks ago. He looked up at your face that seemed to be losing color with every passing day. Steve gripped your hand.

“I haven’t really talked to you much since you’ve been in here. I don’t know if you can even hear this, but it’s worth a shot. I miss you Y/N. Winston misses you, somehow I don’t feed him right. He keeps looking around your apartment for you like he’s lost without you. And I get it. Because I walk around my apartment the same way. Everything there is just drenched in you. Like one of the nights you stayed over, I woke up to get water and I guess you got cold or something because you found me in the kitchen, leaning into the refrigerator. You remember? You wrapped your arms around me and mumbled for me to dance with you. So I did. We danced in my kitchen with no music and just the light from the refrigerator. I just held you close and swayed around with you. Do you know what I was thinking that night? I was thinking about how much I needed you and how much I just wanted to hold you forever. You’re my forever Y/N. So please, please don’t leave me. Everyone is always leaving me. You can’t leave me too. Not like this. Please, baby just wake up. Just wake up, and we can figure the rest out.”

He watched your face intently, praying to anyone he could think of that you would open your eyes and laugh at him for being such a sap. But you didn’t.

Two days later, Steve was in the same position he always was- sitting at your bedside, holding your hand. He had been falling in and out of sleep when he swore he felt your hand squeeze his. His looked up at your face.

“C’mon sweetheart. Please just open your eyes,” he begged.

Slowly your eyelids fluttered open.

“Ow, everything hurts,” you whispered, your voice hoarse from disuse.

Steve let out a chuckle as he wiped away a stray tear that had fallen.

“No, no. None of that,” you mumbled when you noticed. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Steve said with a smile.

“Steve, what happened?”

“What do you remember?” he questioned.

“Being tied to a chair. Will raising a gun and then some loud noise. Nothing else.”

_Steve stood in front of the building Tony had found in Will’s father’s name. He had bought it as an investment, but it had quickly gone south leaving it abandoned. It had to be where Will had taken you. A plan had been established on the way over. The three entrances where being covered by Steve, Sam, and Bucky. Y/N was the number one priority. If Will had to die to keep her safe, so be it._

_“On my count,” Steve said into the comms. “One, two.”_

_On what would have been three, all the men broke open the door they were standing in front of. Steve looked in front of him and saw your tear-streaked face looking back at him. Will turned to see what had taken your attention from him. When he saw Steve, he rushed to you and pressed the gun to your side._

_“You come any closer, and she’s dead,” WIll threatened._

_Steve spotted Bucky quietly walking up behind the pair of you._

_“All right,” Steve said, placing his shield on his back and lifting his hands. “You don’t have to do this Will. Just let her go, and you can walk away.”_

_“I’m a cop you jackass. I know I’m not walking away from this. The least I can do is get rid of her. I thought she was worth the trouble, but she’s still an ungrateful bitch,” he snarled._

_Bucky continued moving towards Will, his gun trained on him. He walked carefully, avoiding anything that would make a noise, until he accidentally drug his foot along the concrete floor, causing the slightest noise. Will whipped around to see Bucky close behind him. At the same time, Steve grabbed his shield and threw it at Will, aiming to knock him out. But in the shuffle, the gun went off. Will fell back from the force of the shield as you yelled out. Steve ran the remaining steps to you, putting pressure on your wound while Bucky cut you free of your bindings and Sam called an ambulance._

_“Steve,” you mumbled, quickly fading from consciousness._

_“I”m right here Y/N. I’m right here, and you’re gonna be okay. Just keep your eyes open and on me sweetheart. The ambulance is so close. It’s all gonna be okay,” Steve rambled.  
“Thank you, Steve, for everything,” you whispered, as your eyes slowly fell closed._

_“Y/N? Y/N, no!” Steve yelled as paramedics rushed into the room._

You wiped the tears that had gathered in your eyes as Steve told you what happened. You ran your fingers down your side, wincing when they hit the bandage.

“You’re gonna have to take it easy for a while, but you’ll be okay full recovery,” Steve reassured you.

“What happened to Will?” you asked timidly.

“The cops got him. He’s in jail, I made a call, and he’s in maximum security holding. You’re safe.”

“It’s over?” you questioned, relieved.

“It’s over,” Steve confirmed, kissing your hand. “Get some rest, you’ve been through a lot.”

You smiled at Steve and ran your hand down the side of his face.

“Thank you, Steve, for being here, and you know… saving my life and all.”

“It’s infinitely worth saving.”

  


You woke up hours later and looked around for Steve. He wasn't in the room, but you could hear him in the hall.

“What the hell do you mean?! He put her through hell and now you’re going to do the exact same thing!”

You couldn’t hear the reply, but whatever it was, it prompted Steve to throw open your door and storm into your room.

“Steve?” You asked quietly. “Steve, what’s wrong?”

“Y/N, sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said coming to sit on your bedside.

“I was already awake. But Steve, what’s going on?”

“He won’t take a plea. He wants to go to trial.”

“What?” You asked, starting to panic. “He can’t do that! He can’t right?”

Steve grabbed your hand and rubbed his thumb over your knuckles.

“He can, and he is. You’re gonna have to testify, Y/N.”

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. It was all to get under your skin, you knew that. Will was just trying to ruin your life even more. But you were done. No longer would this man have control over your life, it was time for you to take back what he had stolen from you.

“Will you be there with me? When I have to testify?”

“Of course, there’s nowhere else I’d be. I’m by your side until you tell me to get lost,” he said honestly.

“Then I can do it. Everyone needs to know what kind of man he is. His friends, family- none of them believed me when I said he was hitting me. Maybe now they’ll realize who he really is.”

Steve leaned forward and kissed your forehead.

“You can do this Y/N, and I’m gonna help you any way I can.”


	10. Chapter Ten

You stood in front of the full-length mirror of your bathroom, taking in your appearance. It had been nearly three months since Will kidnapped and shot you. Three long months of interviews with police officers and attorneys, long days and sleepless nights. But things were getting better. The weight you’d lost in the hospital had come back, the bags under your eyes were fading, and sleep was coming easier most nights. As you stepped into the steaming shower, you let your mind wander to the first interview you had done with the police.

_“Ma’am? Is it alright if we come in and ask you a few questions?” the office asked kindly._

_You sat up straighter in your hospital bed, wincing when you moved the wrong way before nodding and waving him in. Steve was still sat beside you gripping your hand._

_“Sir, if you’d like to wait outside?”_

_You gripped Steve’s hand and shook your head._

_“I’d like him to stay if that’s alright.”_

_“Ma'am, some of these things are… delicate.  Are you sure?”_

_You looked to Steve, silently asking him if he was okay with staying. He brought your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles gently._

_“Yes, I’d like him to stay.”_

_The questions started ordinary enough: how long had you known Will? When did you date? How did you leave? When did you leave? They were run of the mill questions until they weren't._

_“Ma'am, did you know he was watching you?”_

_“Excuse me?”_

_“We found these in his apartment,” he said, handing you a file._

_You opened it up and gasped. It was full of pictures of you. Going to and leaving work, running errands, out with Steve. As you flipped through, you saw some were from inside your apartment. Images of you sitting on our couch, making dinner, sitting in your bathtub. Some included Steve, the two of you cuddling on the couch and a few of the two of you in bed together._

_“No, no. How did Will get these? These are from inside my apartment!” you shrieked, tears filling your eyes._

_“We searched your apartment. Mr. Edwards installed cameras at some point, the pictures from inside your apartment are from about a week before you were taken. He had the video feed streaming to his home computer. We have his hard drive and any printed out copies he had. These pictures won’t be getting out.”_

_You nodded quietly and looked at Steve. He gave you a smile, but you knew inside he was seething. His privacy had been violated too. His intimate moments with you were watched by someone else. Suddenly, it was all too much. One tear fell, and the damn broke. Your shoulders started shaking as you began to sobbing uncontrollably. You heard the detective get up and leave and Steve sat back on your bed. Instantly, you fell into his arms, sobbing into his chest._

_“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry Steve.”_

_“Woah, woah,” he said, pulling back to look you in the eye. “Why are you sorry?”_

_“I did this to you. Will wasn't just watching me, he was watching you too! None of this is fair to you!”_

_“Yeah, it's not fair. It’s not fair that it happened to either of us. But it is not your fault okay? Not a single moment of any of this is your fault. I never want you to think that,” he said, pulling you back into his arms._

_You didn't believe him, but you had a feeling someday you might._

_You stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around yourself, walking over to your bed and sitting down. From the first police interview, everything was a blur until you walked into the courtroom._

_You ran your hands down your blouse, smoothing it down as you waited outside the courtroom. Steve put his hand on the small of your back and smiled at you. You smiled back, but it didn't reach your eyes._

_“It’s gonna be okay Y/N. You’re safe from him now. Will can’t hurt you,” Steve said._

_“I know, I know. I just really hoped I would never have to see him again,” you replied._

_“It’s okay. I’m gonna be right there in the room with you the whole time, you don't have to speak to him or even look at him.”_

_You nodded and stood up on your tippy toes, giving Steve a quick peck on the cheek before the two of you were called in._

_Will looked at you and winked when you walked in, making you tense but true to his word,  Steve was right there. As you answered questions from both lawyers, you continually looked at Steve who watched you intently, his blue eyes never leaving your face. Despite that fact that the man who made your life hell was sitting just feet from you, you had never felt safer._

_You sat in front of your bedroom mirror and started applying makeup letting your mind wander once again. After testifying at the trial, you were convinced things would get easier. You hadn't been sleeping well since Will took you but the hard part of over. Maybe it was enough to let your brain relax and finally fall asleep._

_You kissed Steve goodnight and went into your apartment, promising to call or come by if you needed anything. You settled into bed and fell asleep rather quickly. Until the nightmares started._

_You were back in that grungy abandoned building, tied to that chair. Only this time Will shot Steve and you were forced to watch him die. Your brain played it on a loop, over and over and over again until you woke up, gasping for breath, your face wet with tears. You needed to see that Steve was okay. Scooping up Winston, you slid on some slippers and picked up your keys. You walked over to Steve’sapartment, knocking gently. A few moments later, the door swung open._

_“Winston wants to know if we can stay with you tonight,” you said, lifting the cat slightly. “I think he gets scared without you there to protect him.”_

_“C’mon in you two, you're welcome anytime,” Steve answered with a chuckle._

_You slipped into his apartment and put Winston on the ground. You looked at Steve for a moment before winding your arms around his middle and resting your head against him. Steve held you for a bit before kissing your head and leaning away from you._

_“What happened? Are you okay?”_

_“I don’t know, I thought I was fine. Until I really wasn’t. I just didn’t wanna be alone. Is that okay?”_

_“Of course it’s okay. Stay as long as you want. I like having you around.”_

You smiled at the memory. It hadn’t been easy, you still had nightmares and panic attacks, but Steve was always there. He supported and helped you in ways you didn’t even know you wanted. He did everything he could to make sure you felt safe. Earlier in the day, the verdict was handed down in Will’s case. He was charged with kidnapping and attempted murder, among other charges. You sat in the courtroom with Steve squeezing your hand as the jury read the verdict. Guilty on all counts. You let out a sigh of relief, maybe this could all be done with. You heard through the grapevine that the judge would likely sentence him to life with no possibility of parole. The thought that he would never step foot out of whatever prison they sent him to comforted you slightly.

You thought back to the day in the cafe when Steve had asked you to this gala. So much had happened since then. For a while, you thought it would tear the two of you apart, the sleepless nights, long trial days, but it did the opposite. Every day you fell more and more in love with Steve Rogers and the thought of that didn’t scare you anymore, it excited you.

You slipped on your dress, and when you heard a knock on your door, you put on your silver heels and grabbed the clutch you were using the night. You quickly opened the door and took is his appearance. His suit fit him perfect, hugging him in all the right places.

“You look… stunning,” Steve murmured as he looked you up and down.

“You don’t look so bad yourself Rogers,” you teased, pecking his cheek.

He offered you his arm, and the two of you headed down to the car. The ride over to the tower was spent in comfortable silence. Once you arrived, things started happening quickly. You moved around the room greeting Steve’s friends and sharing laughs and drinks as the night went on. You barely had a moment with Steve, it seemed every time you set your sights on him, he was pulled away into another conversation.

You were talking with Bucky when you felt fingers trail down your bare arm.

“Mind if I steal her from ya Buck?”

Bucky just raised his glass in response as he turned around to join Natasha's conversation with Clint that was happening behind him.   
Steve kissed you gently.

“I’m sorry we haven’t had much time together tonight,” he said apologetically.

“It’s okay, I know you’re a very important person,” you teased.

Just then a familiar [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU14NbQSE0A) started playing. Steve’s face broke into a grin as he reached out for you.

“Join me for a dance?”

You smiled and took his hand, letting him lead you to the dance floor. He took the lead, swaying the two of you around the dance floor as you laid your head on his chest.

“This is the song I heard you singing on your balcony the night we had our first conversation,” he whispered.

“I remember, you were so sweet to not have me evicted for that,” you joked.

“Nah, that was the night I realized something. It was the night I realized you were special. And you were someone I had to get to know. And I’m so incredibly glad I did Y/N. You know, before we started dating, I had kind of given up. It just didn’t seem like I would ever find that girl, the one took my breath away and made my heart skip a beat. But then I heard you laugh. And I knew. I knew you were that girl. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am so damn in love with you Y/N. I love you.”

You looked up at Steve with tears in your eyes.

“I love you too.”


End file.
